Sepia Saturday: "U" is for Uniforms

Doesn't everyone love a man in uniform?  For most red-blooded Americans, there's a visceral response of admiration and respect for the military bearing and spit-spot gear and regalia -- especially in full dress! A man in uniform implies a certain commitment and command, and for some of us that proof of virtuous masculinity, unapologetically displayed in public, is a beautiful thing. We can at least hope that the man lives up to the uniform! But if the symbolic factor doesn't appeal to some, I think most would have to admit at least an aesthetic appreciation. It's all in a range of perspectives that has probably varied over the centuries and from place to place, but I do think that just for pure grandness and attention to detail in a world that is stubbornly casual, a man or woman in uniform garners respect -- even if it's grudging.

My Uncle John, early '50s?

Our family photo album is peppered with several generations of military men in several
branches of the armed forces. You can't miss them! They jump right out at you, our men in blue -- and khaki -- and olive drab -- and camo. They make su proud. And like almost nothing else, a military career implies stories -- history, general and personal. Most military folks participated, in one way or another, in world-shaping events. If the pure handsomeness of a military mugshot doesn't stop you in your tracks, curiosity ought to. I know almost nothing, for instance, about my Uncle John's military career, but coming across his photo, I can't help but wonder! He was so handsome! But where was he stationed? What was his specialty? How long was he in the Army?  Knowing his basic bio, I'm thinking he was active in  late WWII or maybe the Korean War, and doing a quick research on the patch on his arm, it looks like he was 101st airborne (correct me if I'm wrong, please!) If he was a pilot, though, I never knew about it. I know the basics and the outcome of that conflict; I wish I knew our family's part in it, too!

My grandfather, mid '40s?

My grandfather (Uncle John and my mother's Dad) was a Coastie. The famous family history is that he won a medal of honor, saving the lives of sailors trapped below deck when their ship was blown up by the Nazis in New York harbor during WWII. How cool is that? And how many Americans know that even happened, right? For morale purposes most of these attacks so close to home were kept quiet at the time, but not all. In less than seven months during 1942, 233
US ships, including merchant ships and tankers, were sunk off of US shores and in the Gulf of Mexico, most in American waters in the Atlantic. As recently as 2019, the US Department of Environmental Conservation was working to extract the remaining oil from a British Tanker (The Coimbra) from its wreck at the bottom of New York Harbor. Over 2 million gallons of oil were lost, and 36 men died in the German U boat

attack. The explosion rocked nearby buildings and the resulting wall of flame was visible for miles -- so this is one German attack that the government couldn't hide from the people! At any rate, the lesson here: don't ever get too comfortable, thinking the enemy cannot approach our shores. My grandfather could have told you something about that! 

It looks to me that, in the picture above, my grandfather's wearing the now-defunct "dungarees" that were worn for work in the Coast Guard and Navy up until the 1990s. His cover (the word for a military hat) looks like he was an officer, doesn't it? But I have no idea what his rank was when he left the Coast Guard. (I need to see if my Mom remembers!)

My Dad, with his Dad, right around 1950

My Dad, now, was a Navy man, and we have many photos of him in his officer's uniform, especially his service khakis, but it's the shots of him as a young enlisted in his bell bottoms and iconic sailor hat that tickle me. And he always looked so handsome in his Navy dress blues. The biggest tale he had to tell, as a communications officer (CWO4), was the quick round trip he made aboard ship on the way to the Bay of Pigs during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October, 1962. If you know your history, you know it was a pretty hair-raising deployment that turned into a big sigh of relief -- and it was the closest my Dad ever came to being in conflict during his long military career -- except, of course, when at home with us seven kids.

Officer Dress Blues
I think this commemorates when he
made Chief Warrant Officer.

Enlisted Dress Blues
Dad aboard an aircraft carrier he served
aboard in the mid '50s.

All brushed and polished and at their very best in their enlisted Dress blues.
My Dad with his buddies meeting Pope Pius XII in the mid-fifties.
(I've shared this one before, but I just love it, so have to pull it out again.)

Cpt. Paul Davis, USMC
with my favorite accoutrement,
our granddaughter, Lilly

The next generation of military men photos to be found in our family album feature our son, Paul, formerly (if you can say that) a United States Marine Captain. I grew up a Navy brat, but I'm not shy about admitting (especially since the Navy and the USMC are connected at the hip) that the Marine Corps dress blues are, to me, the most impressive of all military uniforms. I'm Paul's mom and I've  had to stop myself from instinctively saluting when I've seen him in his dress blues. It's a stunning  uniform in its simplicity and dignity! There's so much history and attention to detail in this sharp uniform, too, that you can't help but appreciate once you know a little about it. Here are just a few details:

* The gold buttons worn on the dress blue coat feature one of the earliest Marine Corps emblems -- the eagle and anchor with an arc of 13 stars -- and have been a part of the uniform since 1804, making them the oldest military insignia in continued use.

* In 1868, the current emblem of the Marine Corps -- the eagle, globe, and anchor -- was adopted. The eagle represents our proud Nation, of course, the globe represents its worldwide presence, the anchor connects the Corp to its naval heritage and its ability to access any coastline in the world. 

* The saber that is a mandatory feature of the dress blues, is the oldest weapon still in use by the U.S. 

military, and the Corps has two that may be worn as part of the dress blues. Of these two, one is the Mameluke-hilted sword, that honors Lt .Presley O'Bannon, who in 1805 marched 600 miles across the North African desert to capture the Barbary Coast town of Derna, where the American flag was hoisted for the first time over foreign soil. This is the battle mentioned in the marines' Hymn: ...to the shores of Tripoli."

* It's also a part of Marine lore that the blue of the uniforms connects them to their Naval roots, and the red  trim is in recognition of the Marines who served aboard the Bonhomme Richard, the famous Revolutionary War ship commissioned by the French and captained by John Paul Jones. The red stripe on the seam of each trouser leg honors the Marines who fell in the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican War of 1847.

* The "quatrefoil," the ornate, cross-shaped braid on top of the Marine cover, allowed them to be distinguished from the enemy  by their own sharpshooters high up in the ship's riggings. The standing collar is the remnant of the original high collar made of leather worn to repel swords strikes to the neck -- thus, the origin of the term Leathernecks.

(More on USMC uniforms here! Quick info on Navy uniforms here! Army here! Airforce here! Coast Guard here! -- and Space Force!)

No doubt whatsoever, there is equal history and interest regarding the uniforms of the other branches of service, and I've barely breached the tip of the iceberg regarding the several types of service uniforms for different tasks and levels of formality in each branch, not to mention the differences in military women's uniforms (which would be a fascinating thing to research!). To avoid writing a book, though, I narrowed the conversation by chiefly referring to the uniforms I personally know and love because they stand so tall in my mental photo album. It's a fascinating topic, regardless! God bless all our family Veterans, living and who have gone to their reward. And our respect to all Military personnel and all Veterans of all services always.

Now, for the most fun a history buff can have on the internet, run over to Sepia Saturday to find Untold Riches of the letter U in history this week!